Short Moment of Fate
by Blodigealach
Summary: He had never imagined before how dazzling the light is. Gen. Hint of Alpha Pair.
1. Chapter 1

Series: Prince of Tennis  
>Disclaimer: Konomi Takeshi<br>Pairing: Gen. Hint of Alpha Pair (Sanada x Yukimura)  
>Warning: AU. Possible confusion of idea.<br>Note: Actually, I myself don't really know what I wrote here... I just wrote what I've been thinking about Yukimura, and AU seemed to be perfect set to write this fic. ANYWAY. I'm sorry for being so random.

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><p>The moment when his sight fell on that slender figure felt like a dream in the broad daylight.<p>

Emperor Sanada Genichiro had never seen someone like that before. That person had a figure of a woman, but something in his silhouette also showed a hint of masculinity. His face was too gentle to be recognized as a man, but too strong to be recognized as a woman. The length of his hair was neither short nor long.

It was as if his existence lies between femininity and masculinity.

It was as if he was neither a man nor a woman.

But before the Emperor could observe more of that surreal being, the gap on his carriage's curtain was closed. And when that happened, he felt as if he had just wakened up from a very long sleep. Everything around him felt so unreal. But when he looked around him, he realized that he's not the only one who felt that way.

A few people also saw the person in that carriage, and they looked as astonished as he did. There was also no exception for the Royal Advisor. It was also the first time the Emperor saw him to have more expression than the calm and meaningful smile he always had in his face.

"Renji," called Sanada, bringing back the Royal Advisor's consciousness. Renji turned his head at the Emperor, looking stiff and awkward. He was embarrassed because he had the Emperor to call him back to the real world.

"Pardon me, Your Highness. I was dazed by something that I believe doesn't come from this world," said Renji as he bowed to Sanada. The Emperor gave him a sign to stand straight again, and he also showed a sympathetic smile to the other man. Renji could easily read his expression, which clearly showed that Sanada felt the same way as he did.

"Who was that?" asked Sanada. Without a doubt, that person must be a part of the Royal Attendance, since he was in the castle's region. But as far as he could remember, he had never seen that person.

"Judging from the carriage and the people that guarded it, he's probably one of the Royal Priests. And because it's near you birthday, Your Highness, he's probably the Highest Priest," replied Renji as calm as his usual self.

That explained why Sanada hadn't seen him before. It was rumored that if the Emperor was the incarnation of God, then the Highest Priest was God himself. Aside from his personal attendances, no one had ever seen the Highest Priest in person. Moreover, his personal attendances were sworn to secrecy, so they kept quiet about how the Highest Priest actually looked.

Then again, that also explained his surreal beauty. Sanada silently agreed that the Highest Priest was God himself. There was no word that could describe his presence. He could also understand why his attendances were very loyal to their vow. It's not just because they'd sworn to it, but also because they couldn't possibly find a word to describe his look. Mere words wouldn't be sufficient.

"Renji, is it possible to meet him personally?" asked Sanada. He still hadn't had enough of the Highest Priest's beauty, and he's willing to do anything in order to have a better look on that divine presence.

"You have the right to meet him anytime you want, since you're the Emperor. But if your intention is to admire his appearance, it will be pointless since you can only talk to him from behind a curtain. It's said that he must be prevented from the world's impurity, so he's treated like a virgin maiden," explained Renji.

Sanada couldn't help but pouted and sighed when he heard Renji's explanation. He should have guessed that. The Highest Priest was said to be the most divine existence in the world. They had to be kept pure so they could communicate well with God and universe. There was no single impurity in them.

Meanwhile, being an Emperor means that he had stained his hands with blood of his enemies. Never mind his enemies; his hands were also stained with the citizens' blood. Every single drop of their sweat and blood added up his impurity. He might be standing at the highest place in the world, but it was all because of the mountain of corpses he piled under his feet.

In the Empire, the Highest Priest and the Emperor were almost equal in term of authority. But their existence was almost exactly opposite. While the Emperor went to fight in a war, the Highest Priest was praying for peace. While the Emperor lived an extravagant life, the Highest Priest lived with what's given to him. While the Emperor reached the top of the world by piling up mountains of corpses underneath his feet, the Highest Priest floated in the sky by the power of God.

They're just like dark and light, black and white, yin and yang.

"Renji," the Emperor called again. The Royal Advisor nodded a little as a sign that he's listening to him. Sanada hesitated a little, but then he told himself that it's better to try than do nothing at all. He discarded all of his worries and asked, "What's his name? The Highest Priest's name…"

Renji curled a smile, and his face obviously showing that he had thought that Sanada would ask him that. Sanada felt a little bit displeased with what he saw, but he gave no further comment. He's just waiting for his Royal Advisor who was also his childhood friend to answer his question.

"His name is Yukimura Seiichi, Your Highness," replied Renji, still with the same smile on his lips. Hearing that name, Sanada felt as that his heart skipped a beat. He didn't know the reason, but he felt that the name fits the Highest Priest perfectly.

"Yukimura… Seiichi…" he repeated, almost whispering. The image of the Highest Priest crossed his mind again for a while, taking him to the other world for a few seconds. But then he straightened his mind, waking himself up. He told himself that it wasn't the right time to daydream. He still had many things to do, and many things to think of instead of the Highest Priest.

"Thank you, Renji. Now, let's go back to what we discussed earlier." The Emperor and the Royal Advisor continued their discussion and walk around the palace, as if they had never seen the carriage that brought the Highest Priest. Sanada still looked as tough as usual, like there was really nothing happened that day.

But at the end of the day, he'd always remember that short moment of fate, and the name of that fate.

_Yukimura Seiichi._


	2. Chapter 2

Series: Prince of Tennis  
>Disclaimer: Konomi Takeshi<br>Pairing: Gen. Hint of Alpha Pair (Sanada x Yukimura)  
>Warning: AU. Possible confusion of idea.<br>Note: Finally I decided to write this from Yukimura's side. Not as well-written as the other one, but it's the best I can pull. I'm more addicted to Yukimura after all... *slapped* I don't think I'll continue this. It'll end like this. Just like this.

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><p>The moment when his sight fell on that though figure felt like a dream in the broad daylight.<p>

Highest Priest Yukimura Seiichi was just enjoying the view from the guest room when he noticed that man's presence. There's nothing much he could see, since he only opened the window wide enough for him to peek out, but no one could peek in. Moreover, that person was standing rather far from where he was.

But there were features that could be easily noticed, no matter how far they're separated. The other man had a very strong jawbone and cheekbone, with a square chin, framing his face in a very manly way. His eyebrows were thick and slightly frowned, framing his piercing dark brown eyes. His skin was slightly tanned, possibly from hours standing under the broad sunlight.

He's the man among the man; that's what Yukimura thought.

In his entire life, it was the first time he saw a man so perfect like him. There was no slight weakness shown in him, only strength and power. The way he stood unwavering also strengthened that thought. The gold-colored kimono he wore also fitted him perfectly, as he looked as if God created him personally. Or, Yukimura thought again, he might be the God himself.

"Yukimura, I brought you some sweets!" Voice of a young boy startled Yukimura, bringing him back to the real world. He didn't realize that he was practically pressing his face to the gap at his window just to observe that man better. He pulled himself back, adjusting himself so he wouldn't be seen like an idiot.

"Come in, Akaya," said Yukimura. His voice was too high of a man, but too low of a woman. He was aware of that, and that his own existence somewhat lied between femininity and masculinity. People often told him that it was a gift from God himself, but he didn't really think of it that way. A woman should look like a woman, and a man should look like a man.

Just like that man in gold-colored kimono.

"Yukimura, are you okay?" asked a boy with curly black hair, with a tray of red bean jelly and hot green tea for the Highest Priest in his hands. Yukimura didn't realize that the boy had already stood in front of him, proceeding to sit down and serving the snack to him. His big eyes observed the older man in front of him, trying to find out if the Highest Priest was sick or something.

"I'm… I'm fine, Akaya. I'm just thinking about… something," replied Yukimura hesitantly, as he managed to pull a smile. It wasn't as sincere as always, and it made Akaya raised his eyebrows in question. But the younger boy didn't ask anything. He believed in Yukimura. If he said that he's fine, then he's fine.

"It's good, then. Truthfully, I'm still afraid that you'll collapse like before. Even until now, it's still traumatize me," replied Akaya as he smiled back at the older man. Yukimura gave him a weak smile. It also still traumatized him, the way he suddenly couldn't feel his own body. He still remembered how Akaya and the other priests screamed out his name in horror, as he lied powerless on the floor. He couldn't move properly for a few months, until suddenly he's cured. It was a miracle that he was still alive until then.

"Anyway, Yukimura, are you peeking out again? Someone might peek in too. It will be bad if those old men know. Even though you're the Highest Priest, you'll still get punished, you know," said Akaya as he pointed at the slightly opened window. Yukimura turned his head to where Akaya pointed, and his face was tinted in bright red instantly. He couldn't believe that he could be that reckless, leaving the window opened while the Eldest Priests told him not to be seen by anyone but his personal attendances. Lucky for him, Akaya wasn't really a person who liked to follow strict rules. The boy didn't even call him with his title like other people did. He might appear like an insolent child, but Yukimura thought that Akaya was actually a sweet kid. That's why he asked him to be his personal attendances, despite the protest of the other priests.

"I'll be more careful next time," said Yukimura as he smiled sheepishly at Akaya. Akaya gave him a big grin in return, telling him silently that it wasn't a big deal.

"Anyway, I'll close it for you. Just enjoy your sweets," said Akaya as he stood up.

"Akaya!"

The curly-haired boy quickly turned his head to Yukimura. The older man seemed about to say something to him, but he hesitated. His face was once again in bright red when he thought about the man he saw. He wondered if that man was still there, so he could ask Akaya if he knew whom that man was.

"What is it, Yukimura?" asked Akaya, and once again Yukimura was brought back from his own thought. He inhaled deeply, trying to erase his own doubts. It's not like he was asking for something taboo anyway.

"Could you peek outside and see if there's a man in gold-colored kimono?" asked Yukimura. Akaya frowned and his jaw dropped. It was a very bizarre request, maybe the most bizarre he had ever received from the Highest Priest. He was about to ask when Yukimura gestured him to just do it. Although he was still not sure why he was doing that, he just did as Yukimura told him to.

He peeked from the gap and searched for the man Yukimura mentioned. In no time, he found him, still standing straight on the balcony. Akaya turned back to Yukimura and affirmed that the man was still there, as he closed the window perfectly. Yukimura gestured him to sit in front of him again, and Akaya did so without questioning.

"So, Akaya… Since you're allowed to go out and everything, I… Maybe… Do you know who he is?" asked Yukimura hesitantly. Akaya widened his eyes in surprise, but that feeling was soon erased. It shouldn't be surprising for him if Yukimura didn't know a thing as obvious as that, since the older man was quite literally locked up from the outer world.

"Well… I think you've known him already. He frequently visited the shrine and talked with you, but you just didn't notice because you've never seen his face before," said Akaya slowly. The younger boy smirked as he noticed the expression change in his partner's face. The older man seemed to be very surprised and puzzled. There were many people who come and go, and most of the time he didn't know the face of the person talking to him since he talked from behind a curtain.

But he always noticed their voice.

"I'll give you a hint. He always brought someone with him, and his voice fits his appearance perfectly," added Akaya as he grinned mischievously to the older man. Yukimura tried to remember who fitted that description. It didn't take him long to remember, since there was only one person who always bring a companion with him. He could never forget the low and husky yet powerful voice of that person.

He is the Emperor, Sanada Genichiro.

When he realized it, his face turned red once again. He couldn't believe how insolent he could be, peeking on his own Emperor. But it wasn't entirely his fault anyway. He didn't intended to do so, and he didn't know that he's the Emperor. It was merely a coincidence.

Or rather, it's fate.

"Yukimura, you don't like your sweets?" asked Akaya, not trying to ask the older man if he already realized whom that person was. It was written in his face that he already realized that the person he was talking about was the Emperor. It was easy to read Yukimura anyway, since he's so innocent. Yukimura, suddenly brought back again to the real world, could only stared at Akaya with confused look. Then he remembered about the red bean jelly and the tea Akaya brought earlier, but he didn't feel like to eat them.

"You can have it if you want," replied Yukimura as he smiled sincerely at the younger boy.

"Forget it, this is too sweet for me. It's okay if I give this to Bunta, right? He likes sweets very much," replied Akaya as he smiled again at Yukimura. As Yukimura always thought, Akaya is a sweet kid. He's still considering his friend's feeling. Yukimura was certain that actually Akaya wanted to eat that sweets, but since he had a friend who was always craving for sweets—much to the point the other priests put him in the same 'insolent child' category with Akaya—he endured himself and chose to bring it to Bunta instead.

"It's okay. You may share it with anyone you want," replied Yukimura with the same sincere smile. Akaya grinned in return, and quickly stood up as he picked the tray.

"Well then, I'll leave now. The tea isn't going to be hot forever. You okay by yourself?" asked Akaya. Yukimura nodded, and that was enough to convince Akaya. He bid a farewell to the older man, and told him that he'd come again when it's bath time already.

"And, Yukimura… Don't open the window too wide, and don't forget to close it before someone comes in," added Akaya before he opened the sliding door. Yukimura chuckled and promised that he'd be very careful this time, and Akaya went with a cheery grin on his face.


End file.
